Kathryn Leonard '88

President and CEO, Johnson College

"It was an honor to be chosen to lead Johnson, and I am excited for the opportunity to make a difference."

“The greatest gift you can give yourself and others is to initiate and take action. This means you are taking a risk, stretching yourself and helping everyone around you to grow.” These are words of advice from Katie Leonard ’98, who was selected as the eighth President and CEO of Johnson College in Scranton, Pennsylvania, effective July 1, 2018. She resides in Scranton with her husband, Bill, and daughter, Sophie, and says that it was an honor to be chosen to lead Johnson, and she is excited for the opportunity to make a difference.

Leonard has a B.A. in English from York College, an M.A. in Organizational Leadership from Mansfield University, and is pursuing her Ed.D. at Capella University. Prior to joining Johnson College, Leonard held positions in York, working with government officials and nonprofit organizations. She was Executive Director of Downtown Inc., in York, where she enjoyed immersing herself in the community.

Leonard instills that same passion for community outreach and fundraising wherever she works. She became Johnson College’s Coordinator of Grants and Annual Fund in January 2007. She went on to serve as the Director of Development, Director of Institutional Advancement, Vice President of Institutional Advancement, and Senior Vice President of College Advancement. She executed Johnson’s first-ever capital campaign in 2013, which raised over $5 million to build the Health Science Technology Center.

In her new role as President of Johnson College, Leonard says, “I will be out in the community more, sharing our vision and working with the board to spread the good word of our mission, our student stories, and our industry connections.” She adds that her vision for Johnson College is “one with a significantly larger and more diverse student body that will be immersed in industry from day one, preparing for the jobs of the future.”